Guzheng

Author: Lin Ling
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: The Chinese Music Conservatory of China Social Art Level Examination National Common Teaching Material: Guzheng introduces: The guzheng is one of China's oldest and most distinctive national musical instruments. It excels at expressing beautiful and lyrical melodies, as well as conveying grand and powerful musical compositions. The ancients once used vivid verses such as "Strumming the guzheng produces exhilarating sounds, the new melody is divine" and "The seated guests at the banquet remain silent, a line of grieving wild geese produces thirteen sounds" to describe the enchanting realm achieved by guzheng art. The guzheng has a long history in China, hence it is often referred to as "the ancient guzheng." According to historical records, it was widely circulated as early as the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods (around the 4th century BC) and has a history of over two thousand years, with the state of Qin (now Shaanxi Province) being particularly renowned for its popularity. The Historical Records records in Li Si's Advice to Expel Foreigners: "The sound of striking the guzheng, clapping the gourd, strumming the guzheng, and singing with a clapping rhythm—these are truly the sounds of Qin." Thus, the guzheng is also known as the "Qin zheng." Throughout the long course of historical changes, the Qin zheng gradually moved eastward and southward, and through its integration with local opera, storytelling, and folk music, it developed many distinctive styles and schools. Among these are the Henan zheng (Zhongzhou zheng), Shandong zheng (Qilu zheng), Chaozhou zheng, Hakka zheng, Zhejiang zheng (Hang zheng or Wulin zheng), and Shaanxi zheng, which are the main schools of the zheng. Additionally, there are the gayageum of the Korean ethnic group, the yatok (Mongolian zheng) of the Mongolian ethnic group, and the Japanese koto, which was introduced to Japan from China during the Tang Dynasty and still retains many characteristics of Tang Dynasty zhengs. Historically, the zheng also spread to countries such as Korea and Vietnam.